| The Rhea County Newspaper |
| "Rhea County's REAL Information Source" |
ATHENS,Tenn. - Athens Police Department Detective Capt. Bill Matthews is being investigated
for possible misconduct, the TBI confirmed today.
"I can't say anything about the actual investigation, but it is going to be long time" to
completion, TBI spokeswoman Kristin Helm said.
"We are looking at anything and everything," including any possible criminal activity, she
said. However, nothing has been released about the investigation's purpose or reason.
The case is being handled by Ninth Judicial District Attorney General Russell Johnson based
in Roane County. A previous news release from that office stated that they were contacted by
10th Judicial District Attorney General Steve Bebb to handle the investigation. That contact
was made in early October after a request for the investigation was made by the Athens Police
Department.
Athens Chief Chuck Ziegler and Johnson's office have said they have been asked by the TBI
to make no comments on the investigation.
Even the name of the officer being investigated had been withheld until this week, although
indications were that Matthews was the subject of the investigation after he was relieved of
duty around the time the investigation was made public.
Matthews is a long-time employee of the department, starting as a police officer in 1981,
according to Ziegler. He was a key local investigator in a previous federal investigation that
resulted in multiple national massage parlor arrests.
Many court cases he is involved in are being pled out in court, according to Circuit Court
records, and apparently are not being affected by his not being available for testimony.
Meanwhile, another public official investigation is still under way that involves McMinn County
Sheriff Steve Frisbie. Questions were raised about inmates allegedly washing vehicles owned
by the sheriff, and the TBI is looking to see if any laws were violated by the actions.
Helm said once completed, all information on that case will be turned over to the 10th Judicial
District Attorney General's office.
Source: KnoxNews.com
for possible misconduct, the TBI confirmed today.
"I can't say anything about the actual investigation, but it is going to be long time" to
completion, TBI spokeswoman Kristin Helm said.
"We are looking at anything and everything," including any possible criminal activity, she
said. However, nothing has been released about the investigation's purpose or reason.
The case is being handled by Ninth Judicial District Attorney General Russell Johnson based
in Roane County. A previous news release from that office stated that they were contacted by
10th Judicial District Attorney General Steve Bebb to handle the investigation. That contact
was made in early October after a request for the investigation was made by the Athens Police
Department.
Athens Chief Chuck Ziegler and Johnson's office have said they have been asked by the TBI
to make no comments on the investigation.
Even the name of the officer being investigated had been withheld until this week, although
indications were that Matthews was the subject of the investigation after he was relieved of
duty around the time the investigation was made public.
Matthews is a long-time employee of the department, starting as a police officer in 1981,
according to Ziegler. He was a key local investigator in a previous federal investigation that
resulted in multiple national massage parlor arrests.
Many court cases he is involved in are being pled out in court, according to Circuit Court
records, and apparently are not being affected by his not being available for testimony.
Meanwhile, another public official investigation is still under way that involves McMinn County
Sheriff Steve Frisbie. Questions were raised about inmates allegedly washing vehicles owned
by the sheriff, and the TBI is looking to see if any laws were violated by the actions.
Helm said once completed, all information on that case will be turned over to the 10th Judicial
District Attorney General's office.
Source: KnoxNews.com
| TBI investigating Athens police captain RON CLAYTON |
